University of Virginia Library

With þis Gij arisen is,
& to þe gate goþ y-wis.
‘God,’ quod Gij, ‘y do foliliche:
Y sle me seluen sikerliche;
Mine owhen [deþ] y go now secheinde.
God,’ he seyd, ‘be mine helpinde!’
Adoun he fel a-swounie;
& when he gan to dawei,
‘To þe court,’ he seyd, ‘ichil go,
Be it for wele or for wo:
To þe court ichil, what so bitide,
Þei gret strengþe me do abide.’
Now is Gij to court y-comen
As man þat is wiþ sorwe y-nome,
& in to an erber he is y-go,
Felice findeþ þer in þo;
At hir fet he him leyd,
Al wepeand to hir he seyd,
‘Felice, now ich am comen to þe,
& ȝif þou wilt, þou miȝt m[e] sle,
For now icham wiþ-in thi loke,
& þine hest ichaue to-broke.
For ich would þatow seye
Þe sorwe þat y for þe dreye:
Þe strong pine & þe wo
Y dreye for þe euer-mo.
Mine hert schal bileue wiþ þe:
Wiltow, niltow, it schal so be,
Þat mi bodi ferli may,
Bot þat wille it lasteþ ay.
Þer while y liue, loue y þe wille,
& bot ȝif y do, ichil me spille;
For me no schal it to-deled be
Þer while þat liif it lasteþ in me;
Þe to loue no miȝtow me forbede,
In wo & sorwe þou dost me fede.
Whan it worþ þi fader y-teld
Þatow hast mine hert in weld,
& he wite that y loue þe,
Ichot for soþe he wil me sle;
& þat schal turn me al to blis
When y schal dye for soþe y-wis.
Henne forward ne reche y me
Of mi liif, whare it be,
No of mi deþ neuer þe mo
No reche y neuer where y go.’
He ferd as he wer mat,
Adoun he fel aswoune wiþ þat;
Felice stode & loked him to
& biheld his strong wo;
To a mayde sche seyd þo:
‘Take him vp in þine armes to,
& lay him soft on þe grounde’;
& sche dede so in þat stounde.
Þat mayden ȝede to him wepeinde,
& Gij wel sore biminde:
‘Bi god of heuen,’ sche seyd,
& ich wer as feir a mayd,
& as riche kinges douhter were
As ani in þis warld here,
& he of mi loue vnder-nome were,
As he is of þine in strong manere,
& he wald me so o loue ȝerne,
Me þenke y no myȝt it him nouȝt werne.’